Save coral, save the marine environment

TH Group joins hands to monitor coral reefs to preserve and maintain the marine environment. *Photo: Cat Ba National Park.*

Where the "treasures" are kept

Cat Ba National Park was established on March 31, 1986 with a current total area of 17,362.96 hectares (of which the island area is 10,912.51 hectares, the sea area is 6,450.45 hectares). It is one of the places with highly diverse marine biological resources, many species of economic value and rare. Within the framework of basic research topics since the 1980s, it has been determined that Cat Ba sea area has about 196 species of marine fish belonging to 66 families; 177 species of coral belonging to 15 families; 658 species of benthic animals belonging to 146 families; 102 species of seaweed belonging to 35 families; 131 species of zooplankton belonging to 46 families; 400 species of phytoplankton.

Cat Ba National Park is important both domestically and internationally in terms of biodiversity conservation. In particular, the coral reef ecosystem is of great importance. With the attraction of diverse groups of marine species to live and reside, coral reefs are considered the most productive ecosystems in the world . For coastal ecosystems, coral reefs create a diverse habitat with a large number of caves on the reef, providing organic matter, shelter, and nursery for organisms, creating an important ecological niche to maintain and regenerate marine resources. The value of coral reefs is also known in terms of entertainment and tourism.

Coral reef ecosystem is one of the natural ecosystems that need to be prioritized for protection. *Photo: Cat Ba National Park.*

With such important values, coral reef ecosystems are one of the natural ecosystems that need to be prioritized for protection. However, in the last 15 years, coastal research programs in the Cat Ba archipelago have shown that coral reefs have declined sharply over time, with some coral reefs being completely destroyed.

Join hands to preserve coral reefs

Recognizing the importance of coral reefs, the leaders of Hai Phong City, the Management Board of Cat Ba National Park, and the people of Cat Ba Island District have taken many actions to protect the "environmental carpet" that protects this sea area. Notably, this process has attracted the participation of businesses to contribute and participate very closely in monitoring coral reefs and spreading meaningful actions to protect the marine and ocean environment.

Specifically, within the framework of the Vietnam Business Alliance for the Environment (VB4E), TH Food Chain Joint Stock Company (THFC under TH Group) has sponsored and accompanied Cat Ba National Park and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for 02 years (2021 and 2022) to implement the program: Coral reef monitoring to propose a number of solutions for effective management and conservation of coral reefs in Cat Ba National Park.

After 2 years of monitoring, it was found that the coral reef coverage at 3 locations was only average, with a tendency to develop slowly. From the monitoring results, specialized agencies have proposed specific solutions to effectively manage and conserve coral reefs. One of the solutions that has been bringing high efficiency in coral reef conservation is zoning and planting coral reefs to increase the coverage of the reefs, increase the diversity of species composition, and restore the balance and health of the coral reef ecosystem.

Experts are conducting coral monitoring activities. *Source: Cat Ba National Park.*

Currently, most of the coral reef conservation areas in Cat Ba Island do not have or do not have a complete system of buoys to protect and warn. Therefore, activities such as exploitation, aquaculture, and tourism services have had and are having a direct impact on coral reefs, leading to the degradation of the coral reef ecosystem. Therefore, establishing a system of buoys to protect and warn is very necessary.

Through the sponsorship of TH Food Chain Joint Stock Company, the activity of establishing a buoy system to protect the coral reef ecosystem is being implemented at 03 locations. This activity will contribute to the management, conservation and development of the coral reef ecosystem in Cat Ba National Park in the direction of: Clearly defining the distribution areas of coral reefs in Cat Ba National Park, serving the management, protection and conservation of marine biodiversity; so that fishing vessels and tourism services can determine the boundaries of the strictly protected coral reef ecosystem in Cat Ba National Park.

Experts from the TH Group's Sustainable Development Committee work with stakeholders to find solutions to protect coral reefs in Cat Ba National Park.

Along with that, the system also facilitates patrolling, inspection and handling of law violations in the marine conservation component of Cat Ba National Park and minimizes illegal fishing in the coral reef protection ecological zones. The system also contributes to warning ships not to anchor in the coral reef protection ecological zone, not to drop anchor directly to the seabed to protect the coral reef ecosystem and other marine life in the area, while serving scientific research and study tours.

anh-5(1).jpg — It is essential to establish a system of buoys to demarcate protected areas and warning buoys. *Source: Cat Ba National Park*

Ms. Hoang Thi Thanh Thuy - Head of the Coordinating Board of the Sustainable Development Committee, TH Group said that the funding sources for this meaningful activity come from an environmental protection activity of TH. That is the activity of selling canvas bags for consumers to use instead of plastic bags at the TH true MART store system, contributing to reducing the discharge of plastic bags into the environment. The entire cost of selling canvas bags is used to sponsor this program. That is one of the actions, also a commitment of TH Group to social responsibility in protecting Mother Nature - Land, Forest and Sea.

More information about TH Group

With the motto of "Cherishing Mother Nature", TH Group (owner of the TH true MILK brand) is one of the pioneering enterprises implementing the green economic model, circular economy through organic production chain, clean energy production, carbon emission reduction, biodiversity conservation and a series of sustainable consumption solutions, etc. TH's Sustainable Development Strategy includes 6 main pillars: Nutrition - Health, Environment, Education, People, Community and Animal Welfare.

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